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Thursday, December 12, 2013

Nuestro Cine: Cuarón's Debut

The nominees for the upcoming Golden Globe Awards were announced on Thursday and among the finalists for the Best Director Award is Alfonso Cuarón. The 52-year-old Mexican was recognized for his work directing the critically acclaimed and box office hit thriller "Gravity" though he faces stiff competition from other nominees including Steve McQueen ("12 Years A Slave"), David O. Russell ("American Hustle") and Paul Greengrass ("Captain Phillips").

A talented director, screenwriter, producer
and editor, Cuarón is best known for films like "Y Tu Mamá
También," "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" and "Children of Men." Yet his first big hit came in 1991 with his directorial debut.

"Love in the Time of Hysteria" focuses on a young man who is notorious for his womanizing and, as the narrator of the film's trailer claims, "will sleep with just about any lady he meets." His life as a carefree Casanova comes to a quick halt after one of his many jilted lovers, a nurse, convinces him that he has AIDS. His attempts of suicide are thwarted yet it is his desire to want to kill himself that leads him to fall in love with a stewardess who also wants to end her life after she is cheated upon.

Aside from directing this dark comedy, Cuarón also co-wrote, produced and co-edited the film. Known locally as "Sólo con tu pareja", the movie garnered four nominations in Mexico's Ariel film awards and won in the Best Original Story category.

Below the page break is the Spanish-language trailer to "Love in the Time of Hysteria". (Please note that it is Not Safe for Work due to images of brief nudity).

In addition to Cuarón, fellow Latinos Sofia Vergara, Oscar Isaac, and Daniel Brühl are also up for the Golden Globes that will be give by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association next month.